WO2019048564A1 - Use of vanillin and/or ethylvanillin as a bitterness-masking agent - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention proposes a novel method for masking the bitter flavour of protein-rich food products, by using vanillin and/or ethylvanillin as an agent for masking the bitterness of protein-rich food products.

Description

 USE OF VANILLIN AND / OR ETHYLVANILLIN

 AS AGENT OF MASKING AMERTUME

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

 The present invention relates to the field of food, and more specifically to foods and drinks rich in protein. This invention provides a novel method for masking the bitter taste of protein-rich foods.

STATE OF THE ART

 Consumer demand for high-protein foods is steadily increasing, to provide a more balanced diet that meets new nutritional requirements. The roles of proteins in the formation and maintenance of muscle mass, the effect of satiety and weight loss are now well known. This is why the formulation and production of food products (foods and beverages) containing a high protein content have become a major subject for nutrition industry, especially in the field of sports nutrition.

 However, one of the known disadvantages of protein-rich products lies in their taste. Indeed, some amino acids present in proteins are known for their unpleasant bitter taste (see for example "The taste of amino acids, peptides and proteins: example of sapid peptides in casein hydrolysates", F. Roudot-Algaron Milk, 76, 313-348, 1996). Products with high soy protein content may give a feeling of bitterness in the mouth (see in particular application US 2007/007345).

 Bitterness (or bitter taste) is one of five main flavors, with sweet, and salty, acid and umami. This flavor, generally considered harsh and unpleasant, is the characteristic flavor of products such as quinine, brucine and caffeine. It is created by certain substances that bind with the specific receptors on the taste buds on the tongue, which transmit a signal to the brain by a neurochemical mechanism.

Different techniques have been developed to eliminate, or at least decrease, the bitterness of proteins in food products. We can notably mention physical selective separation solutions, for example activated carbon treatment, extraction, isoelectric precipitation, chromatography, and chemical or biochemical solutions, for example masking agents (see for example "Debittering of protein hydrolysates", Saha et al., Biotechnology Advances, 19, 355-370, 2001).

 There is still a need to find a protein bitterness masking agent that is effective, even in small amounts, that can be incorporated simply and effectively into food compositions.

 It is in this context that the inventors have discovered that vanillin and ethyl vanillin overcome one or more of the disadvantages mentioned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

 The subject of the invention is the use of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin to mask the bitterness of protein-rich foods.

 In addition, the invention also relates to a method for preparing a protein-rich food product, wherein an effective amount of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin is added to said food product, and characterized in that the perception of the bitterness of said food product is attenuated or eliminated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

 In the following description, the expression "between ... and ..." must be understood as including the boundaries quoted.

 The object of the present invention is a new use of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin. Vanillin or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde and ethyl vanillin or 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde are widely used products in many fields of application as aroma and / or perfume. The vanillin and ethyl vanillin used in the invention may have been produced by chemical synthesis. Alternatively, the vanillin may have been produced according to a biochemical process, in particular a bioconversion process. Alternatively again, vanillin may have been extracted from pod. According to a preferred embodiment, the vanillin used in the present invention is natural vanillin, for example vanillin obtained by a bioconversion process or vanillin extracted from a pod.

The invention may be the use of vanillin, or the use of ethylvanillin, or the use of a vanillin / ethyl vanillin mixture. The use of a mixture of vanillin and ethylvanillin in any proportion is described herein. According to one embodiment, said mixture is an equimolar mixture of vanillin and ethyl vanillin. This compound has a melting point of 48 ° - 49 ° C. According to another embodiment, said mixture is a mixture of vanillin and ethyl vanillin in a vanillin / ethyl vanillin molar ratio of 2. This compound has a melting point of 59 ° C. to 60 ° C. The preparation of such a mixture is described in particular in the documents WO 2010/046239 and WO 2011/042365.

 In the following description, the expression "rich in protein" refers in particular to a food product of which at least 20% of the energy value comes from proteins. Preferably, the protein content in said food product may be greater than 20%, preferably greater than 30%, more preferably greater than 40%, even more preferably between 50% and 100%, by weight of proteins relative to weight. total food product. The expression "rich in protein" applies to conventional products, naturally rich in proteins of the food industry but also to products that have been enriched in proteins.

 By the term "protein enriched" is meant a product having a higher protein content than a conventional equivalent product of the food industry.

 Typically in a protein enriched product, the protein content may be greater than or equal to 110% of the protein content of a conventional equivalent product. Preferably, the protein content in said protein-enriched food product may be greater than or equal to 120%, preferably greater than 130%, more preferably greater than 140%, still more preferably greater than or equal to 150% of the protein content. a classic equivalent product.

 The food product according to the invention may contain proteins of various origins, for example vegetable proteins selected from wheat proteins, pea proteins, rice proteins, soy proteins, and mixtures thereof. In a particular aspect, the food product according to the invention may contain pea proteins.

 The protein-rich food products of the invention may be selected from conventional food industry products which are naturally high in protein or have been enriched in protein. The food product according to the invention may be a food or a drink. It can be a sweet product or a salty product.

Sweet foods include biscuits (sweet biscuits of the classic type, small butter, cookies, snacks, shortbread), bars, pastries industrial (Champagne boudoirs, cat tongues, sponge biscuits, genoa bread, sponge cake, madeleines, pound cake, cakes, almond pastry, petits fours), dairy products (creams, desserts, yogurts, ice creams and ice creams) ).

 Salty foods include ready meals and pasta.

 Among the drinks, particular mention may be made of hyper-protein drinks, for example based on animal or vegetable proteins. The food product can be a preparation for instant drinks, for example in powder form, for making beverages, after adding water or milk.

 In the following statement, as stated in Directive 89/398 / EEC, the expression "dietary product" refers to a food product intended for a particular diet. These products are distinguished from conventional food products because, for example, of their particular composition which is suitable for the nutritional purpose indicated. Particularly in the case of a rich product or enriched in proteins, the objectives may be in particular the maintenance of muscle mass, the effect of satiety or weight loss.

 According to a preferred embodiment, the food product according to the invention is a dietary product or a nutritional product. A nutritional product is a product designed to meet the need for a specific diet. Preferably, the food product according to the invention is a nutritional product for athletes. Very preferably, the food product may be a protein shake (also called "protein shake" or "powder mix") or a protein bar. A "protein" or "hyperprotein" product means a product rich in protein or enriched in protein.

 While not wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that the bitter taste of protein-rich foods is due to certain specific amino acids, including amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine and proline. It has been discovered that, quite surprisingly, the vanillin and ethyl vanillin molecules have an action on said amino acids and / or on their taste receptors. Because of this, the bitter taste created by said amino acids was reduced, or even eliminated, for the consumer.

The present invention also relates to a method for preparing a protein-rich food product, wherein an effective amount of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin is added to said food product, and characterized in that the perception of bitterness said food product is attenuated or eliminated. The effective amount of vanillin and / or ethylvanillin needed to mask the bitterness of the food product depends in particular on the power of this bitterness and the nature of the proteins contained in the food product. Indeed, it is the merit of the Applicant Company to have identified that the effective amount of vanillin and / or ethylvanillin required to mask the bitterness of said proteins in the food product varies depending on the type of protein. The masking of the bitterness of pea proteins is one of the most complex. The effective amount of vanillin and / or ethylvanillin needed to mask the bitterness of the food product may also be dependent on the food product, in particular it may be necessary to adjust the effective amount of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin to a food or a drink. Indeed the perception of the bitterness of the proteins in a food or a drink can be very different, for example some solid food compositions may have a low bitterness while the same composition in the form of a drink may have a pronounced bitter taste. Typically, the effective amount of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin in the food product can be between 30 and 10,000 ppm, more preferably between 100 and 2000 ppm, and even more preferably between 200 and 800 ppm.

 One of the advantages of the present invention is that vanillin and ethyl vanillin are known flavors of the food industry and appreciated by consumers. Advantageously, the vanillin used in the present invention may be natural vanillin, for example vanillin obtained by a bioconversion process or vanillin extracted from a pod.

 In addition, it has been discovered that vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin used as a masking agent according to the present invention gives little or no vanilla taste to the food product. Thus, the food product can be unflavoured, or flavored with any flavoring compound well known to those skilled in the art. According to a preferred embodiment, the food product according to the invention has no vanilla taste.

The vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin used as masking agent according to the present invention can be introduced into the food product at the end of its manufacture or, preferably, during its manufacture. Before its introduction, vanillin and / or ethylvanillin may be preformulated with other ingredients, including conventional ingredients known to those skilled in the field of the food industry; According to one embodiment, vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin may be preformulated with flavoring compounds, flavor enhancers, carriers, solvents, or mixtures thereof. Optionally, vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin may be used in combination with other masking agents, including other bitter flavor masking agents. However, vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin is preferably the main masking agent.

The term "flavoring compound" refers in particular to molecules used as an aroma or perfume which are involved in a mechanism in which the organs of taste and / or of olfaction are involved. The flavoring compounds may in particular be molecules having at least one heteroatom selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. The said molecules may be cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated. Examples of flavoring compounds include alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, ethers, acetates, nitriles, terpenes, nitrogenous or sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds and essential oils. A flavoring compound may be of natural or synthetic origin. Examples of flavoring compounds may be found in S. Arctander's book, "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals", 1969 and later. In addition, a person skilled in the art may refer to the substances identified by the FEMA GRAS ™ program, as well as to the substances mentioned in the positive list established by the European Union with a FLAVIS number (the Substance Information System). flavoring agents of the European Union). More preferably, said flavoring compounds may be chosen from saturated and unsaturated aliphatic alcohols, saturated and unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes, saturated and unsaturated aliphatic acetals, saturated and unsaturated aliphatic ketones, saturated and unsaturated aliphatic acids and aliphatic esters. saturated and unsaturated, including ketoesters and hydroxyesters, saturated and unsaturated aliphatic sulfur compounds, including thiols and sulfides, unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, alicyclic ketones, alicyclic enolones, alicyclic esters, alicyclic sulfur compounds, terpene alcohols, terpenic aldehydes, terpenic acetals, terpene ketones, terpenic acids, terpene esters, terpene lactones, terpene oxides, aromatic alcohols, aromatic aldehydes, aromatic ketones, aroma acids aromatic esters, phenols, phenol esters, aromatic ethers, aromatic oxides, aromatic lactones, aromatic sulfur compounds, aromatic nitrogen compounds, aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic lactones, heterocyclic esters, furans containing sulfur, unsulfurized furans, pyrans, dioxolanes, actinidiolides, pyrroles, pyrazines, triazoles, pyridines, oxazoles, pyrimidines, thiophenes, oxathiazines, dithiazines, dithianes, and trithianes.

 The expression "flavor enhancer" refers in particular to a substance or a set of substances which does not substantially modify the aroma but which increases its intensity. An aroma enhancer can be of natural or synthetic origin. Among the flavor enhancers, there may be mentioned substances such as sodium and potassium salts, for example sodium chloride and potassium chloride, maltol, ethylmaltol, furanol, sodium L-glutamate (GMS), inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP), 5-guanosine monophosphate (GMP), hydrolysed vegetable proteins (HPV), yeast extracts, amino acids and sauce extracts such as for example broths, soy sauce, spicy sauces, fish sauce, oyster sauce. Preferably, an aroma enhancer may be selected from sodium and potassium salts, for example sodium chloride and potassium chloride, maltol, ethylmaltol and furanol. In addition, an aroma enhancer may be chosen from the substances described in the international application WO 2008/105652, and in particular in the following group: lactoyl vanillin, lactoyl ethylvanillin, lactoyl isovanillin, lactoyl p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, lactoyl-hydroxy-m-methoxycinnamaldehyde, lactoyl p-hydroxy-m-methoxycinnamate, lactoyl vanillinate, lactoyl homovanillinate, lactoyl-m-hydroxybenzoic acid, lactoyl isovanillinate, lactoyl-p-hydroxy-m-methoxyacetophenone, octyl vanillin, decanoyl vanillin, divanillyl succinate, lactoyl-o-hydroxy-m-methoxybenzaldehyde, lactoyl eugenol, gluconyl vanillin, and edible salts and esters thereof.

EXAMPLES

Example 1 Preparation of a pea protein cream

A cream is prepared according to the following 2 compositions Composition 1 without Composition 2 with vanillin vanillin

 Pea protein isolate 48.0% 48.0%

 Skimmed milk powder 25.0% 25.0%

 Maltodextrin 20.76% 20.9%

 Pregelatinized starch 4.0% 4.0%

 Guar gum 2.0% 2.0%

 Sucralose 0.1% 0.1%

 Vanillin 0.14% 0.0%

 TOTAL 100.0% 100.0%

Rate of reconstitution 25g / 150ml of water.

 A sensory analysis was performed by an expert jury.

 The results demonstrated that the perception of bitterness in the food product comprising vanillin (Composition 2) was reduced compared with that of Composition 1. No vanilla taste was perceived for Composition 2.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of a Protein Drink with Masking of Bitterness

A protein shake is prepared according to the following two compositions:

Rate of reconstitution 20g / 200ml of water.

A sensory analysis was performed by an expert jury. The results demonstrated that the perception of bitterness in the food product comprising vanillin (Composition 4) was reduced compared with that of Composition 3. No vanilla taste was perceived for Composition 4.

Claims

1. Use of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin to mask the bitterness of protein-rich foods. 2. Use according to claim 1, characterized in that the vanillin is natural vanillin, for example vanillin obtained by a bioconversion process or vanillin extracted from pod. 3. Use according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the protein content in said food product is greater than 20%, preferably greater than 30%, more preferably greater than 40%, even more preferably between 50%. and 100% by weight of protein relative to the total weight of the food product. 4. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for masking the bitterness of protein-enriched food products wherein the protein content may be greater than or equal to 110%, preferably greater than or equal to 120%, preferably greater than or equal to at 130%, more preferably greater than 140%, still more preferably greater than or equal to 150% of the protein content of a conventional equivalent product. 5. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the food product contains vegetable proteins selected from wheat proteins, pea proteins, rice proteins, soy proteins, and mixtures thereof. , preferably pea proteins. 6. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the food product is a food product enriched in proteins. 7. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the food product is a dietary product or a nutritional product for athletes. 8. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the food product is a protein shake. 9. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the food product according to the invention has no vanilla taste. A method of preparing a protein-rich food product, wherein an effective amount of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin is added to said food product, and characterized in that the perception of bitterness of said food product is attenuated or eliminated. 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the effective amount of vanillin and / or ethyl vanillin in the food product is between 30 and 10000 ppm, more preferably between 100 and 2000 ppm, and even more preferably between 200 and 800 ppm .